


Hopestuck ==> Write Yourself a Happy Ending

by Jack_Kappa_Papilloma



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety Attacks, Happy Ending, Multi, On hiatus atm, Panic Attacks, Pesterlog(s) (Homestuck), Quadrant Confusion, Quadrant Vacillation, but thats just how homestuck fics go, but we only ever see him high or in withdrawl or being mind-controlled so, by the way i got an advanced score, everyone gets a redemption arc, i am very nervous, i can barely keep track of what going on ngl, i have never written for ao3 and it shows, im also submitting this for a grade, its mostly gamtav, let tavros go feral, like an actual grade for language arts, nice, probably gamzee mischaracterization, sorry ;pensive;
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:02:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24213361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jack_Kappa_Papilloma/pseuds/Jack_Kappa_Papilloma
Summary: Karkat Vantas didn’t know what to expect when he ended up playing the copy of SGRUB they’d made from scrap. It wasn’t meeting his friends for once in his life, it wasn’t being stuck with some of them for an extent of three years, and it certainly wasn’t winning. From the point in which he loaded up the game onward, everything was one thing to the next -- and that was new for him.uh, typical AU where everything turns out okay because we did not deserve Homestuck^2 to be Like That.anxious writer is anxious. tell me if im doing something wrong, please, this was originally just for my epilouge-hating friends but it's over 5,000-ish words now and here we are.edit: officially abandoned! sorry :( kinda fell out of my homestuck fixation and this was way too much for me to write without a lot of outline
Relationships: Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas, Gamzee Makara/Tavros Nitram, Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	1. Karkat ==> Reflect for Awhile

**Author's Note:**

> im screme  
> this first chapter is short, the rest should be about a thousand words starting off -- at least until I get to a point where the storytelling is a bit more linear.

Karkat Vantas didn’t know what to expect when he ended up playing the copy of SGRUB they’d made from scrap. It wasn’t meeting his friends for once in his life, it wasn’t being stuck with some of them for an extent of three years, and it certainly wasn’t winning. From the point in which he loaded up the game onward, everything was one thing to the next -- and that was new for him. 

Before the game, it was inevitable that his life was just going to end at the dawn of one unlucky day. Everything was a death weapon -- someone finding out his blood color, passage of some kind of vast glub, even just trying to go out for once in his life and ending up on the bad side of another troll. That was just the truth of Alternia; everything was out to get you.

On Earth C, though, that could be different -- and as soon as John began to reach for the door, he realized that life wasn’t just going to be new for him. If they were really going to be creating a new world -- new humans, new trolls, new land, new moons, and all -- then there were certainly going to be trolls just like him, given life there. And… they wouldn’t have to grow up knowing they weren’t going to make it long enough to see their friends in person.

Karkat’s thoughts were cut short as a flash of light cut into his eyes like blades, and he watched, eyes almost taped open in wonder and fear as he saw visions of Alternia, Beforus -- his ancestor, the one who’d started it all -- Kankri, who’d kept his teachings alive, and everyone in between; the ones who’d raised the Signless, walked by his side, and listened to his voice, even as it was snuffed out too soon. He saw the blood stains; a rainbow of proof to what they’d subjected themselves to -- even the candy-red that had started it all, and their respective bloody cuffs, the iron still burning quietly.

But it didn’t matter.

It wouldn’t matter anymore, because he’d helped them fulfil the dream. As cliche as it sounded, Karkat realized that the new world could be the peace that the Signless never got… and he helped bring it to life. So did his friends, the humans, even those who’d died in their session… it really wasn’t for nothing, Karkat thought. 

Tears pricked his eyes.

He wouldn’t ever admit to it, but when before the game -- before the personal sense of worth that he was just now laying upon himself, Karkat had always told himself that it would be okay -- that his imminent culling would be okay, that he wouldn’t have to be scared, because the world would just move on without him. His life could be burnt out quietly, with none but eleven mourners. If his friends might even make it as long as him.

But that was just the inevitable, he’s told himself for so long.

It didn’t have to be like that anymore, he could live for so much longer, see so much, meet so many more, and make so many more memories.

Karkat was almost sobbing as Earth C materialized in front of him…

...and he was promptly dropped into it, the world suddenly dark as night, feet crunching in the sand of the beach. The air smelled like sea foam, thin and finally easy to breathe with relief, drops of saltwater beginning to soak his pants, hands shoved in the pockets of a jacket he’d never seen before but was convinced just might be the comfiest thing he’d ever worn.

And an eyeful of a familiar body floating along in the waves.


	2. Tavros ==> Wake Up and Breathe

  
Your name is Tavros Nitram, and… the first thing you can think of, just as your eyes open, is that something is very wrong. But first, you’ve got to orient yourself and trash this first-person bullshit. _Not_ in this fic.

Tavros sat up, rubbing his eyes and looking around. The room was dark, coated in various shades of white, cool and crisp -- kind of like a hotel room.

Wait, was he in a hotel? 

  
Too groggy to ponder the thought, he shook off the remaining covers and leaned back on his palms. He was sitting on a typical two-person bed, next to a white nightstand and a cheap-looking lamp. Atop the surface was a digital clock, casting a light green glow to his skin; it was 6:12 in the morning. 

  
Thought after thought filtered into his head -- he was alive, he was in a dream bubble, he was dreaming, he was kidnapped -- slowly tracking around and around until none of them made sense and the only thing he could latch onto was the buzzing in his gut and the dryness of his eyes as he stared down at his hands.

  
A vibration from the nightstand shook Tavros from the flurry of thoughts, evaporating to his subconscious as he wiped his hands together and practically lunged for the palm-husk.

  
A message floated to the top of his screen, the familiar tag filling him with relief.  


  
_New message from arsenicCatnip. Open to view._

Tavros’ fingers practically glided across the screen to open the notification, barely noticing how he entered the phone’s unfamiliar password with ease. He tapped on the app with haste, read the message, and re-read it another two times just to comprehend the words.

AC: :33< purr-LEASE don’t tell me im not the only one who woke up in a strange place

AT: nO, NO YOU’RE NOT,,, nEPETA, pLEASE TELL ME WHAT’S HAPPENING, oH GOG I CAN’T FEEL MY FINGERS

AC: :33< tavfurros calm down! you’re the furrst to reply to meow and i don’t want you passing out on me!!  
AC: :33< i’ve messaged efurryone, but you’re the furrst to reply to meow

AT: yEAH, i MEAN, i THINK SO,,, bUT,,, wHY? eVERYTHING IS SO GROGGY, uGH, i KEEP FEELING SO CONFUSED, bUT ALSO LIKE THIS IS JUST, nORMAL, bUT OBVIOUSLY THIS ISN’T NORMAL,,, aND,, uM,  
AT: nEPETA,,,  
AT: tHE LAST THING i REMEMBER IS BEING A GHOST, aND, aLSO KIND OF A, sPRITE,,,

AC: :33< meow too...  
AC: :||< oh no  
AC: :((< tavfurros!! i don’t remember the last time i really talked to equius! i could nefurr find him too often in the dreambubbles, and then i was on a ship for awhile, and then i was talking to fefurry for an awful long time…  
AC: :((< FUCK!!!!   
AC: :((< i need to message him!! im sorry tavfurros!! ill be right back, i swear!!

AC ceased pestering AT.

AT: oH,, iT’S OKAY,, gO TALK TO HIM FIRST,,, tHERE’S A FEW, pEOPLE i NEED TO TALK TO,,,

Tavros exited the conversation, glad to hear that he wasn’t the only one affected by this -- but just as confused, as the reality of what was happening came back to him. Did the others win the game, and did their group properly defeat Lord English? Was everyone back? ...What about the sprites? And… were they in the new world, whatever it was called?

  
He had sort of lied to Nepeta, too; he didn’t know who to talk to. Few names popped into his head: Aradia, Vriska, Kanaya, Gamzee -- but Tavros hesitated to select their tags.   
What would he say? He hadn’t really talked to Aradia nor Kanaya in awhile -- you know, being dead and all -- and both Vriska and Gamzee were a whole other _thing_ to deal with. What kind of an ice-breaker is that?

  
So instead, he looked around, stood up, and left the bedroom.

  
The rest of the presumed hotel wasn’t much different from the room he started in. A large window loomed to his left, slots of street light making their way through the blinds. A kitchen sat to his right, framing the front door, two dangling lights swaying ever-so-slightly. Then there was a living room in front of the window, a single stiff couch, and several paintings hung crooked -- like an afterthought to the room. Everything was generally monochrome or a sickly shade of green. 

  
Tavros blinked, almost unimpressed -- before taking matters in and approaching the window. He pushed aside the blinds, squinting for a moment, and gazing at the concrete balcony outside. He was barefoot, for whatever reason, but decided to go out anyways. 

  
The glass door slid back easily, and the night breeze was, admittedly, nice to feel after so long. Tavros sighed, and almost collapsed on the railing. 

  
The street outside was bright, but abandoned, seeming like a ghost of what it must be at day. Every once in a while a car drove by, headlights casting a glow across the face of the building -- which Tavros could now see and confirm as a hotel. 

  
In the distance, though, he could see the glimmer of water under the moon -- which there was only one of, for some reason -- and the whole scene of sand, trees, and park benches. 

  
And, with little afterthought, the silhouettes of several figures in the water and grass.

  
But that wasn’t important -- not to him, not at the moment. Tavros looked down at his own hands.

  
It was what he’d said to Jake.

  
He remembered being a sprite -- Gcatavrosprite? Jake’s sprite, to be exact. They’d never had much time to talk, but they’d poured their hearts out to each other with the time they did have. And Tavros himself had much to talk about, specifically of realizing something about himself.

  
He always thought he was weak -- of course he was, he was a weak lowblood and several people in his living life made sure he knew it. He was disabled, unable to do anything for himself -- and if he hadn’t had Jake to stop him, he could’ve gone on and on about his failings. 

  
...But then again, as several others had told him, he _had_ been able to collect the ghost army to fight Lord English. He’d also been able to fight his fair share against the creature himself -- though it wasn’t particularly impressive, especially compared to Vriska’s impact -- which was the thing. It seemed so obvious after all this time, yet it seemed stupid to himself at the time; he shouldn’t have to compare himself to her just to determine his own worth. Right?

  
Tavros cut off the thought and scoffed. It was tiring to think about, and -- he thought, turning to look back inside at the clock above the couch -- much too early. Whatever it was, his body was screaming at him to go back inside before his feet went numb (was now a good time for a joke about that?) and get back to sleep. Whatever else he needed to figure out… was for tomorrow. 

  
Tavros lugged the door closed behind him, pulled a thick blanket off the couch, and flopped back onto the bed. 


	3. Karkat ==> Answer the Phone

  


Among the wonders and beauty of Earth C, Karkat Vantas was also looking down upon the body of his ex-moirail and presumed insane clown, Gamzee Makara. 

He’d lugged the juggalo to shore -- soaking his pants to the knees in the process -- made sure that Gamzee wasn’t dead, and had sort of been just staring down at the body until he could think of what to do. The palm-husk in his hoodie pocket had gone off a number of times already, being the only indication to the passage of time. He hadn’t moved to look at it yet; that was, until an embarrassingly loud jingle from an embarrassingly familiar movie began to play, and Karkat scrambled to pick up the device. 

Through the static of the shitty microphone, Dave’s voice filtered in. It was obvious that he’d been stressing out to the point where ironic mumbling couldn’t help him, and he’d  _ probably  _ ended up attacking everyone’s palm-husks -- if Karkat’s speculation and proof of numerous trollian/pesterchum notifications meant anything. 

“Karkat? Can you--” Dave stopped as his chest heaved in indignation, pulling in a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding out on. He tried again, sounding calmer. “Does the, uh, my microphone work?”

Karkat tilted the palm-husk to get in face in the frame of the camera. He could just barely see the outline of Dave’s eyes through the glare of -- whatever was emitting the blue-ish light, probably just his phone screen -- and the panic that swirled in his eyes like tiny whirlpools of anxiety and problems glazed over for far too long.  _ That was one of the  _ things,  _ wasn’t it? _

He could distinctly remember that, while on the meteor, Dave had slowly begun to freak out about their drastically newer surroundings -- but just as that got bad, seeing familiar rooms in the dreambubbles got worse.

Something that happened to do with lengthy conversations about the differences between human guardians and lusii.

At the current moment, he seemed to be hunched over; shadows swelling at the corner of the camera, faint outlines of shelves, jars, and posters behind him in the same light.

“Karkat? Karkat, can you hear me?” Panic edged in his voice, waving his hand in front of the camera as if to catch the boy’s attention.

“Yes, I can hear you, calm the fuck down. Where are you?”  _ What did Rose say about panic attacks? Shit, shit, shit -- oh,  _ “Don’t answer that. Is there a clock in there?” 

Dave took in a shuddery breath and looked up to the far corner of his former bedroom, lips ghosting over the numbers on the second hand as his chest rose and fell in time to the slow ticks. Karkat took the moment to recite their plans to the salty air.

“Everything is going to plan so far, okay, asshole? We just have to find everyone. Easier said than done, but... the most of a difference between everyone should be a few miles.”

“Good. I want to get the hell out of here.”

Karkat hummed, sitting down in the wet grass and hugging his legs up to his chest. Gamzee’s body would be staring at him, if its eyes were open. “I know.”

The two sat as Dave’s breathing gradually came back into his control, mumbling about things that could’ve been considered trivial during the game.

_ During the game.  _ They really had flipped over a new card, hadn’t they? A bunch of shitty ones, too, as Karkat began to wonder about what a  _ normal  _ teenage version of him might be worrying about. Not a bunch of teens with godlike powers, nor an alien that he may or may not have just prevented the panic attack of. Or the body that wAS STILL ALMOST STARING AT HIM.

The troll huffed, kneeling over Gamzee and sort of just inspecting him for the time being -- finally beginning to notice the odd nail-shaped marks at the base of his neck, horns, and the way his makeup had been mussed-up even further -- as if he’d made ugly contact with the infliction of the eerily still water. 

“I’m kinda surprised,” Dave’s voice continued from the phone. “I don’t feel as small in here as I did before -- both before the game and a few minutes ago, I guess. I mean, not like physically small; I’m not all up in this shit like a rodent nesting in the walls, snacking on the chips you’ve forgotten about in the furthest cabinet for three months now --”

Karkat tilted his eyebrow and looked at the phone with a pissy expression.

“Okay, not the point. From this point onwards we are going metaphor-free. ...I was being serious though, I just kind… panicked at first? I feel like I’ve got an upper-hand to these walls. Which is inherently stupid, of course. I’m not going to punch the walls, Karkat -- are you still listening to me--”

“Yes, okay, fine, I am listening and willingly opening my ears to the bullshit you’re spewing.”

“I might just punch the walls now.”

“It’s everywhere, Dave. Everywhere.”

“Like I said, not the point. I think I’m… gonna try to look for the door. It doesn’t look like the building’s still an apartment, and the layout is screwed up a little? But I would… rather be outside.”

Karkat paused, before nodding. “If you see water, look for a beach. There’s, um,” he looked around. “There’s a few trees and tables and… other bullshit -- look; wherever the game put you, it shouldn’t be hard for us to find each other.”

Dave looked down at his phone, halting his steps. He cracked a smile, honestly glad that Karkat had been the first to call him back; the one troll -- and person in general -- who he’d spent the most time with on the meteor, and the one who knew the most about the way he… reacted. “Thanks. For reminding me about the clock-thing earlier.”

Karkat hummed quietly -- for him, anyway.  _ There must be something going on,  _ Dave thought, unbeknownst to the pair of eyelids turned on the troll. Silence stretched across the call. 

“I mean, it’s just… really hard to remember. Especially when I’m thrown into the crustiest place I’ve ever known and suddenly everything is, like, three feet taller than I remember…”

The troll cut him off, words packing a sharp bite. “Dave, I believe you. I believed you back on the meteor, and I still do--”

His voice softened at the last second.

“You’ll be okay.”


	4. Kanaya ==> Orient Yourself to the Space

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two of the titles so far have been aspect puns :)

For the first time in three years, Kanaya woke up to an alarm -- meaning that she must have had something important to do; a concept that almost seemed alien as she took a moment to orient herself, believing for just a moment that she was still on the meteor. 

This was immediately brushed away as she sat up and took notice of the room. Kanaya was sitting on a stiff floral-patterned couch, adjacent to a large window. Lace curtains floated in the wind, casting spots of sunlight and making them dance like puppets. Other than that, the room was mostly dead -- but appeared very open, with white walls, a soft shag carpet, and surrounded mostly by glass -- _it must be a sunroom,_ she thought. 

Kanaya stood up, picking up her palm-husk from where it lay on the floor, eventually giving up its incessant buzzing. Just about a hundred notifications plagued the home-screen -- courtesy of Karkat and the newest memo, ‘CONGRADU-FUCKING-LATIONS, WE LIVED’. It seemed appropriate, in… some odd Karkat-sort-of-way. 

Whatever they were talking about, they’d seemed to have sorted everything out -- which was a relief. 

Kanaya dropped the ‘husk to her side as she leaned out the only door. Outside was a hallway, leading to the left towards a living room, which she decided to walk out towards. 

She was met with even more huge windows, the first face of the sun as it rose through one -- rose-red and tinted purple -- and a step-down living room area. More florally-patterned couches and loveseats circled the sunken area, stray books and candles covering every surface, including the glass coffee table and various bookshelves. 

The troll quickly stepped past -- taking note of the staircase between the living room and the next over -- instead continuing to walk until she was met with cool kitchen tiles and the soon nearing clatter of fork-on-sizzling-pan. 

“Good morning,” Rose said in a welcoming tone. “I’m making eggs.” 

Kanaya grinned, teeth showing without remorse to the fact that her face felt like it could crack in half, and enveloped Rose in a hug. She wrapped her arms around the girl’s neck, face tucked into the crook of her neck. Rose laughed, hugging back to the best she could with the fork in her hand -- a few minutes passing as it finally settled into Kanaya’s head that they’d finally won the game, and as Rose had to pull away. 

“I don’t want to burn the eggs,” she mumbled, laughter still edging into her voice. “I figure you should get caught up in the new memo, too.” 

“Yeah,” Roxy chirped from the dinner table to the left of them. 

Kanaya looked over at her, to see her and Terezi both sitting down with their own breakfast of choice. 

“Karkat’s been yelling at us since -- practically seven!” 

Terezi dipped down over a red smoothie, grin piercing the plastic straw. “I guess creating a new universe doesn’t deter him from being quiet for more than a second, huh?” 

“Karkat’s just Karkat,” Kanaya started. “I bet he’s just continuing to stress over his teammates -- and I assume he was the one to create the new memo?” 

Nods surrounded the table. 

“I figured.” 

Kanaya quickly sat down, pulling up the memo and skimming it. 

CG created memo, "CONGRADU-FUCKING-LATIONS, WE LIVED".

CG: CONGRATULATIONS, DUMBASSES AND ASSHOLES ALIKE, WE’VE FINISHED THE HELL-HOLE THAT IS SGRUB/SBURB WITHOUT DYING. WELCOME TO EARTH C.

CG: MOST OF US WITHOUT DYING, THAT IS.

CG: ANYWAYS, REMEMBER THAT WE’RE ONLY ABOUT A FEW STREETS FROM EACH OTHER, SO I GUESS RE-GROUPING ISN’T NECESSARY RIGHT NOW.

CG: ALL TROLLS SHOULD FIND THEMSELVES EITHER IN ONE OF THE HUMANS’ HOUSES OR OTHERWISE, SO YOU CAN GROUP WITH OTHERS AROUND YOU -- LEST YOU’RE TOO STUPID TO WALK NEXT DOOR WITHOUT TRIPPING OVER YOURSELF AND ASKING FOR HELP LIKE A GODDAMN GRUB. 

CG: AND FOR THE LOVE OF FUCK, STAY UPDATED AND DON’T DIE.

CG: AND DON’T FUCKING KILL EACH OTHER EITHER. 

CG: WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY… ROLL CALL, EVERYONE GET YOUR ASSES IN HERE.

AC: :33< *ac purrowels up to the new memo with wonderfurrl mews… she is alive! and has calmed down since waking up :33*

TG: dirk and i are still awake

TG: sitting outside

TG: because we both agreed that this apartment has more emotional baggage than allowed on flight

TG: more than fifty pounds, no passage, sorry thats just the rules

AG: H8y Str8ders, turn around!!!!!!!! 8quius and I are chilling on the 8each behind you.

TG: oh shit really

TT: I’ve counted the grand total of Kanaya, Roxy, Terezi, Calliope, and I in what looks almost like my house, if not with a bit of alteration. 

TG: hiiii everyone!!

GC: HOW’S TH3 N3W WORLD, K1DS? >;]

TT: Kanaya is still asleep.

GG: pretty good, actually, my house is here too!

GG: and i can account for jake, sollux, and eridan!

TA: wakiing up and 2eeiing that 2hiit2taiin wa2 the wor2t po2iible way to realiize that iim aliive agaiin

CC: W)(ale, I’m glad to sea you again, sollux! 38) 

AA: i’m a bit late t0 read this, but i am t00, s0llux 0u0

CC: O)( Y---EA)(, i’m with Aradia and Jane! I thought they were busy.

AA: we were, but the dirt cups are finished n0w!

AT: dIRT CUPS? 

AT: i mEAN, i’M HERE TOO, hELLO,

AA: it’s a human dessert! It l00ks like dirt and w0rms and that makes it very g00d 0u0

TA: you guy2 woke up early to make de22ert?

TA: nevermiind. i’m not 2urprii2ed.

AA: n0t just dessert 

AA: dirt-ssert 

AA: :D

AT: i rEALLY MISSED, tALKING TO YOU GUYS,,,

AG: Awww, th8t’s sweet!

AT: sOME OF YOU GUYS,

AG: WH8T is th8t supposed to mean????????

AT: ,,,i mEAN, 

AT: nOT,,, 

AT: pRETEND i nEVER SAID ANYTHING, 

AT banned himself from replying to the memo.

AG: Jegus.

AA: g00d j0b scaring him 0ff. 

AG: Wh8tever, let’s just find the people that h8ven’t responded yet. 

AG: I think we’re missing… 

AG: A certain windy-boy and a murderous clown. Ring any b8lls? 

CG: UM. GAMZEE IS WITH ME.

AG: ...Oh. AG: Status upd8? Is he in the fr8dge? Does he have his palmhusk?

CG: NO. AND I DON’T KNOW. 

CG: HE’S KIND OF, 

CG: UNCONSCIOUS

AG: H8LY SHIT! Did you do it to him????????

CG: NO! HE JUST… GOT HERE LIKE THAT? I DON’T FUCKING KNOW, I ONLY NOTICED HIM AFTER AWHILE. HE WAS IN THE WATER.

TG: wait what 

TG: murderclowns been in the water

CG: YES, AND I CAN ALREADY **FEEL** THE CONCERNED GLANCES, THANK YOU.

TG: okay chill ill leave it for the private chat 

TG: its fine

AG: So I gu8ss we just have John left.

TT: Thus far everyone’s showed up either in or near one of our four houses, so he shouldn’t be far. 

TT: Finding him is a good first priority; we know where everyone else is and proximity isn’t a problem. Some unwelcome SBURB mechanics could be doing something to him.

AC: :33< i mean, tafurros and i woke up in hotel rooms. AC: :33< i guess there wasn’t enough space?? :pp

TT: There’s that too. But I would assume you’re still in the proximity?

AC: :33< certainly! tavfurros says he can see karkitty’s beach from his balcony. i can only see a few buildings, but… i think i see a glimmer of water?

TT: Good. Everyone look around outside -- no worries if we can’t find him. I have an inkling it’s because he’s a breath player, though.

  


“Want some eggs?” 

With that, Kanaya looked up from her ‘husk to see Rose holding out a plate of scrambled eggs. “The kitchen is stocked with cereal, too, if you want.” 

The troll smiled, taking the plate regardless. “Thank you, this is fine.” 

Rose sat down to eat as well, watching as Roxy and Terezi chased each other back into the living room. _We really are still kids, after all, huh_ , Kanaya thought, chuckling as they whooped playfully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im also pretty sure i butchered vriska's typing quirk ???


	5. Dave ==> Check Up on the Angry Troll

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the last chapter i've pre-written, everything's going to be more spaced-out from this point onwards. and i'm almost done with all of the preliminary chapters, meaning things'll get a bit longer from this point onwards.  
> \--also, i've decided that this fic'll probably focus on gamzee and tavros' relationship and arcs because 1.) they're huge comfort characters for me and 2.) they're part of the characters that got the short end arc-wise, being introduced in an interesting and relatable way just to be made into a joke. but it wont be /just/ them.  
> uh uh uh chApter time now

“What do you  _ mean,  _ you want to cross the fucking water?”

Dirk was gesturing across the ocean to where a beach was set to the opposite of them. The ocean curled inward, kind of like a reverse-peninsula, so that the apartment -- now more of a crusty old shed, actually -- was across from the beach where Karkat had woken up. Everyone else had confirmed if their houses/hotel rooms were on the Strider side or the Vantas side -- which was great and all, but Dave really wanted to see his kind-of-alien-boyfriend / matesprite-moirail-kismeisis what ever the  _ fuck  _ they were at this point. 

“Um. Yes?” Was his only reply to Dirk, still kind of hanging with his arm extended. 

The prince sighed, crossing his arms and looking at the water with distaste. “I mean, I guess it doesn’t look all that far away.” He turned to Dave. “But why?”

_ Yeah, why?  _ Okay, okay, their relationship was really confusing to say the least -- not even in an ironic way. Karkat had told this to Dave too, explaining just how muddled up his quadrants were towards the boy. 

\-- Even if he didn’t really understand the trolls’ polygamous romance, Karkat seemed to feel fairly varied towards him and him only -- which sometimes included kissing, hate-kissing, and papping. ...But it wasn’t bad. 

“Do you… have something to tell me about that troll boy?”

Dave floundered immediately. “...No! I mean, not -- not that I wouldn’t tell you…” his voice dropped to a whisper. “If I even knew, myself.”

Dirk raised an eyebrow. There was a bit of silence as Dave tried to recover as well as he could, reminding himself that embarrassing-life-topics were okay to talk about because _ they were brothers, not…  _

He cut the thought off, and finally gave in, mumbling, “maybe being a little bit gay is just a Strilonde thing.”

Dirk laughed a bit, but even Dave could tell it was a bit awkward of a topic and not really worth lingering on. The two continued talking, confirming that they could still fly as god-tier, and that he could just glide across the water -- which Dave proved as he eagerly began to float effortlessly above the light waves, before speeding up.

The sun had already begun to rise, and he was happy to confirm that SBURB, no matter how many asshole-mechanics, had ended up dropping them in an extremely scenic place. Few clouds littered the sky, the few that did painted with the remaining pink and orange of the sunrise. Saltwater sprayed Dave’s feet, cold air stinging his face. The new daylight caught on the water, making it look impossibly clear and more so the color of anime water than actual -- no, Earth A water.

Soon rocks and sand skimmed the land beneath him and Dave dropped, unexpecting to the jolt that went through his legs before falling to his knees. Dewey grass dug at his skin, making his shoes damp.

“Dave?” Karkat questioned, turning to look at him -- back from where he’d finished pulling Gamzee’s body up onto one of the benches.

The knight was partially out of breath, cold air lining his lungs -- and tried to respond regardless, catching Karkat in his arms. The troll squeaked, noise getting caught in his throat -- before hugging back. 

And immediately pushed him back. “Did you just fly across the entire fucking -- whatever the fuck it’s called--”

“The inlet?”

“YES! Right after I said it wasn’t necessary to go anywhere nor do  _ jack shit _ ??”

Dave grimaced excessively, hands in his pockets and shrugging to his ears. “Uh -- yeah, that’s the one.”

Karkat glared.

“Okay, okay, I just wanted to see you in person! I -- you know -- I didn’t think we’d win? And now it’s happening? And It’s like--”

Dave squished his hands against Karkat’s cheeks, who kept staring stone-faced.

“Like, wow, better make sure you’re you and not a robot, screws and bolts; an imposter of my best friend, the little bastard.”

“‘The little bastard’?” 

Dave shrugged and let his hands drop to his sides.

“Well, anyways,” Karkat started, taking his palm-husk out of the hoodie pocket, “We should make a plan. Of action. A plan of action. The first step is to find John, because we’re pretty sure he didn’t get here with a means of communication--”

Dave listened intently. He’d already read through the various theories everyone had -- because he was a breath player (then what about Tavros?), because he was the one that’d instigated the session (and what for the trolls’ session?) -- but no one seemed very worried about the whole thing. (Should they have been?)

“--And then we get Tavros and Nepeta to one of the four houses, or otherwise. And then -- I dunno, figure out housing? Because it doesn’t seem like a lot of the humans would honestly prefer to have two or three trolls they barely fucking know sticking around.” 

“Actually--” Dave mumbled. “Make that one of the  _ three  _ houses.”

Karkat raised an eyebrow.

“Dirk and I? Hate the place. Vriska and Equius? Don’t give a shit,” Dave summed up.

The troll hummed. “Yeah, I guess that’s fair. ...Makes me wonder about the future of this little -- what was it, inlet?-- Did you hear that Rose found paperwork for it?”

“...What?” 

Karkat threw his hands up, probably in reference to the general bullshit of the scenario.

“Yeah, right of ownership and everything. What the fuck? Who just owns this whole plot of land? I mean, I assume we’re fine on credits, after all our boondollars are reverted to the currency of Earth C -- we don’t even know what the currency is!”

“Karkat,” Dave mumbled as the mutant’s voice began to raise, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Calm down. We’ll figure it out.”

He dropped his hand. “Besides, I don’t think -- I mean, I guess the game is going easy on us. Bringing back the dead players and all. Whatever happens next, it won’t be nearly as bad as all the other shit, right?”

Karkat sighed in agreement, just as something grappled Dave’s back, pulling on his godtier. A cry caught in his throat, as he wrenched the thing -- or whatever it was -- away from him, stumbling on his feet to avoid falling down as he spun to look at it. Karkat uncaptchalogued his sickles out of instinct, blades catching the sunlight and shining on… the sprite.

“ _ Geez,”  _ Davepeta purred, “No need to go ahead and shank me  _ already _ , okay.”

Despite the dramatic reveal, Dave sat in stone-faced defense -- before looking at the sprite’s wings, shades, and shirt. “Davesprite…?”

Or, at least, what used to be a sprite. He also took notice of the s-- creature --’s legs and lack of white-bleached flashing. And horns.  _ Possibly a troll? _

Something squeezed at Davepeta’s blood-pusher as they began to speak, before Karkat leaned over.

“You’re Davepeta, aren’t you? Wow, I -- thought I remembered seeing a sprite in the dream bubbles.” He recoiled. “Before I fucking  _ woke up. _ ”

Davepeta just shrugged, starting to bounce on the heels of their feet in anticipation. “Yeah, that must have… sucked. So you’re the crabby kid?”

Karkat opened his mouth, before Dave began speaking over him.

“Okay,  _ okay,  _ we’re not doing this again -- Karkat, Karkat, Karkat--”

“ _ What?” _

He bopped the troll’s head. “So anyways, we’re cool now, right? We’re chill?”  
Davepeta flashed a grin. “Chiller than the clown drip.”

“What?”

“The -- you mean the fucking  _ fridge? _ ” Karkat’s voice roared once again, sickles tightening in his grip. “Did you  _ really  _ just make a fucking  _ joke _ about that??”

The sprite held up their hands defensively, grin dropping as they realized how serious the troll was. “Listen, I--”

“Do you know how long he’s been sitting here, unconscious?”

They followed Karkat’s eyes, spotting the body lying across the park bench. “...No.”

“ _ No shit!” _

Dave watched the scenario unfold, frozen. He reached his hand out to grab Karkat’s sweater, to ground him; a technique that seemed to work when he went off, when-

Karkat slapped his hand away, eyes frantic. “You’re not--”

The mutant’s face fell. Realization dawned on his face, looking down at the grass, back up to Dave, and finally he gasped as a breath forced its way into his lungs. 

He looked down, hanging his head as if he’d done something wrong -- before he spoke, quiet.

“We should find a place to put him. A hospital, or something. We’ll say he fell into the water.”

And started pulling Gamzee into his arms, not waiting for Dave or Davepeta to help him.


	6. John ==> Wonder What it's like to Have a Cat

Despite never owning a cat, John had been informed on occasion by his friends as to what it was like to wake up to one. Either running through the house at 3 AM, knocking items over with no regard, meowing loud enough to startle one from their dreams-

Or a paw to the face.

John sat up abruptly, squinting into the sun and shoving his hands into the prickly grass underneath him. A flashing figure floated above him, arms crossed and mouth twisted into signature displeasure.

“...Jasprose?” He asked, intelligently and not at all groggily like he’d just fought for his life endlessly and just wanted to sleep awhile -- or maybe forever.

She rolled her eyes. “Well good morning, mister main-character! You’ve only been sleeping for several hours instead of informing your teammates of your so obviously apparent liveliness! Slept well?” 

“...What?”

John rubbed his eye, blinking away the static at the corners of his vision, and looked around. He was sitting in a halo of smushed grass, his back to a cliff sitting above washed rocks and roaring waves -- too down low to be heard above a whisper anyways. In front of him, the cliff smoothed down into a hill, then into a short stretch of flat land before a road. Trees dotted the flat, too random and thinly placed to be convincingly wild. He had obviously woken up near a park.

“Oh yeah,” Jasprose began, preparing herself for a ramble of sarcastically polished words, “welcome to Earth C. It’s now our vast litterbox of -- hopefully, -- a lack of bullshit and omnipotent bosses and such. Which, congratulations, by the way, for actually doing that? Though I guess most of that job was left to a bunch of ghosts, if I recall.”

John lifted a hand to the back of his head, curling his finger through the tangles and possible bugs. “Oh, yeah, I guess… most of them were fairly omnipotent though! ...I didn’t think I’d ever make contact with the sole of the batterwitch’s pink shoe.”

He looked down. Then up at the sprite. “We really did make it, though? I mean, this isn’t just another trick... you -- you’re a sprite -- you would know, right…?”

“That’s not really how it works, but sure. No more tricks. You should really find a phone or something, though, because -- from what I’ve heard from a certain other sprite -- Karcrab and Company are wondering about you, ya’know? Everyone else’s already gone through the grey-wall memo yelling and such.”

She looked up from him, to the edge of the cliff. John turned to look -- behind him, just above the grass and far enough that he wouldn’t be able to reach out and touch it, was a single remaining gate to the medium. It fluctuated just as always, green circles and loops collapsing and imploding into each other.

“And there’s something I need to explain.”

John stood up, hands idly at his sides as he stared into the portal. “...What is it?”

“ _ Well, _ ” Jasperose started, “We aren’t really sure. Davepeta and I, by the way. I think we’re here because we’re both sprites squared -- but, no, neither of our wonderful sprite powers are telling us much about it. Which should help to solidify the fact that the game is over, good riddance. But I have my speculations.”

“Which are?” He asked, still staring into the mess of loops.

“I think it’s your final access to the sessions. Like, pick up anything you left behind, or something. Talk to the remaining sprites and ghosts before the old universe just collapses. Though, before you woke up and Davepeta ran off, they mentioned that it’d be a good idea to try and pick up any dream beds… but who knows if they still work, and accidentally killing those we’ve just gotten back would be a little bit of a disaster,” Jasperose purred.

Her face twisted. “Oh, and-”

Before she could finish, John reached for the center of the portal. He watched as the figure seemed to cave in, bending the sunlight and lightly sucking in the air around it as if it were a tiny black hole -- and a clear image made itself known.

It was very clearly Caliborn, still in his ripped up god-tier, yelling silently into the portal like a video on mute. His eyes were a little bit crazed, like he’d been there, ranting, for awhile now.

“Oh… I see.” John deadpanned.

“Yeah. I suppose it’s also your choice if you want to take him in, too,” Jasperose explained, cocking her head to the portal. “I can’t understand a word. But I guess I can’t really read his lips, considering…” she trailed off.

John thought for a moment, apparently staring long enough for Caliborn to realize that they couldn’t hear him and letting out what was most likely a groan of annoyance. Though he didn’t really  _ want  _ to bring him into the new world, for obvious reasons, John couldn’t bring himself to say it. There was an aspect of deliberately leaving the boy in a decaying universe that ticked him wrong. And anyways… it didn’t really seem like it was his choice to make.

“I don’t really… think I can answer that? I mean… is Callie here, too? Do you know?”

Jasperose shrugged. “I haven't left here at all, that was Davepeta’s job. But I managed to snag a phone -- before they brought it with them -- I think Calliope  _ should  _ be with Rose. Wherever that is, anyways.”

John nodded. “Then I think Callie should choose. I think she’s… the only one who… would miss him, I guess. If even.”

“Yeah, that’s probably the best idea. I think you should still rake your claws into him, though, the little... “

“Jasperose!” John scolded, before sighing. “I should really get a phone though, or something. ...I have a feeling that a group meeting is gonna happen in the near future, isn’t it?”

She just shrugged. “Maybe. Who  _ knows  _ what our friend group could need right now.”

He only laughed, if a bit guiltily, slightly recalling in his haze that some of the troll ghosts _ had  _ actually been revived, and it wasn’t just an odd dream. That was sure to be… one hell of a reunion. 

Then, annoyed at having to sit in his uselessness, John turned back to the Medium. Caliborn had stopped shouting at some point, probably out of boredom as he could be seen scribbling away at something, until John began to whisper to it.

“The Land of Wind and Shade, my room.”

The picture slowly morphed into an image of, wouldn’t you guess, John’s room. The room was still decorated with occasional oil splatters and his computer certainly wasn’t in the best shape, but he reached into the portal and managed to pull it out, dusting off the keyboard and pulling up the most recent memo. 

Next, to contact Callie about the situation… and organize a meeting. Oh, and let everyone know he’s not dead!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really almost forgot about caliborn ???


	7. Nepeta ==> Meet Up with the Others

The first thing Nepeta did when she woke up again was -- well, nothing, considering she’d been unable to go back to sleep after talking to Tavros and had compromised for chatting back and forth between the few people that were awake. By the time the messages between Terezi, Aradia, and Sollux had gotten boring, Equius had been there to reply to her, and they’d quickly exchanged addresses and planned to meet up, especially with the others who’d woken up in… non-permanent living spaces.

Eventually, their count was up to her, Equius, Vriska, Tavros, and Dirk.

At the moment, specifically, Nepeta was walking to the beach that Karkat had woken up on. She couldn’t help but bask in the sun, walking along with the only backpack she’d found in her hotel and a notice saying her time was up.

_Why couldn't Alternia's sun have been like this?_ Nepeta caught herself purring.

The buildings along the road were bleached by the sun, advertising stores, activities she’d never heard of, restaurants, museums, and more. The bases of green street lamps lined the sidewalk, the perfect size for the troll to swing around as she walked, fingernails scraping the paint like chalk.

The street itself was loud as ‘cars’ drove by and people talked, hot as heat reflected off the metal and concrete. In itself, it was odd just seeing so many humans and trolls walking about, mingling, talking and barely exchanging glances to the signs and symbols on their shirts. It was… kind of amazing? Exciting?

Whatever the feeling stirring in Nepeta’s gut, it was over too soon as she crossed a street and stepped into the park.

Even from afar, the beach looked nice, though it was mostly grass for a long stretch. She passed by several trees and picnic tables before she even stepped in sand -- and realized that Karkat was nowhere to be seen, much less…

Nepeta stiffened. _The clown._ Gamzee. The one who’d separated her from her moirail like this.

The one she’d wanted to shred for so long.

...But that wasn’t something she was intent on doing to Karkitty. He’d seemed so defensive in the memos, she could hardly believe what he might be like in person when asked about his moirail -- were they even still moirails?

Well, she could at the very least hate him silently until she could pinpoint their relationship. ...Besides, she wanted to see her friends first.

Speaking of, sitting on a bench near her was a particularly-glow-y figure that she was certain to be…

“Davepurrta?” She called, emphasis on the _purr_. She still had memories of being a sprite -- which were soon cut short as her sprite-self was prototyped with Davesprite -- but it seemed odd to be saying her own name, calling out to another.

Davepeta turned. “Yo, Nepurrta!” They looked around. “What’re you doing out here?”

She ran towards the table, flinging her bag at the grass beneath it before jumping up and landing on the bench, feet on top, squatting. Davepeat didn’t flinch, only lifting a thumbs-up.

“We’re meeting up! --Equius, Tavfurros, Vriskers, Dirk, and I, that is.”

“Huh. you five were in the hotels, weren’t you? ...Well, two hotels, one apartment, if I recall.”

“Yep!” Nepeta replied, situating herself to sit normally next to the sprite.

Davepeta hummed, turning back to face the water as Nepeta leaned back. She unzipped her backpack, taking out the single palm-husk (a tiny cat chain dangling off the corner,) and pulled up their little group’s chat.

AC: :33< i’m at the beach! davepeta is here too  
CT: D--> Vriska, Dirk, and I will be arriving shortly.  
AT: hI, nEPETA, i’M NEARING THE BEACH NOW,  
AT: i sHOULDN’T BE LONG,  
AC: :33< ok, tavfurros! see you soon!! :33

Nepeta turned, scanning the streets behind the grassy area for a pair of Tavros’ signature horns. It didn’t take long to spot him -- jumping up and down, waving at her, wearing an orange flannel with his sign embroidered on the pocket. His hair was messy, probably due to a night of restless sleep and anxiety, but his face was just as bright as always.

“TAVROS!” She called, jumping up on her toes before hopping up on the table and running right for him. Her shoes crunched in the heat-dried grass, wind scattering her hair as she collided with him -- light enough that he wouldn’t fall over, of course -- and wrapped her arms around him.

Tavros’ laughter caught in his throat, but he hugged back and was grinning once she pulled off him.

Nepeta struggled for what to say for a moment before abandoning the train of thought for a squeal. “I’m so excited to see you -- not in the dreambubbles, I guess -- but look! We’re alive, and Earth C is great, and we get to-” She let go of Tavros and spun, laughing with glee.

Tavros laughed, “I know what you mean, I think? It’s just like, wow, we get a second chance, and suddenly I can do all the things I didn’t get to in the dreambubbles…”

A chime from his phone took their attention, quickly opened as Tavros looked through the group memo. “Equius, Vriska, and Dirk should be here… to the left of the inlet…?”

The two looked to their right. At the very edge of the grassy area, where it turned to trees and a few buildings, was the entrance of a boardwalk suspended just barely off the ground.

Walking out of it were the three, Vriska and Dirk looking around while Equius was hunched over his ‘husk.

Nepeta waved to them, watching as Vriska pointed to their bench and Equius looked up. They began to run, leaving the indigo behind, who in turn watched Nepeta run for him.

It took awhile and a lot of running around, but eventually everyone was herded to the table with Davepeta. Small talk overtook the group, which Tavros used to turn to said sprite.

“Hey…” He started. “You’re Davepeta, right? I think I remember you.”

Davepeta nodded. “Yeah, you too. Gcatav?”

“Yeah. Do you… know what happened to Gamzee and karkat…? Or, maybe they’re just not here, I don’t know?”

The sprite pursed their lips, looking over behind their shoulder. “They went to look for a hospital. Clown dude’s still passed out.” They turned back to Tavros. “But they should be near, google maps says there was a building just on the other side of the forest there. Don’t worry, dude.”

Tavros smiled back hesitantly. “...Oh, okay. Um -- thanks.”

After a bit more catching up -- most of which Dirk and Tavros made through without much talking -- the memo was updated. In short, John was alive, needed to get Callie back to him as soon as possible, and then would finally join the rest of the group. Callie was able to reach the memo after finally waking up, with Rose planning transportation and such. Then Karkat updated from the hospital, and Tavros followed along carefully.

CG: NO, I’M NOT FUCKING DEAD, SHUT UP JOHN  
CG: I’M AT THE HOSPITAL ACROSS FROM OLERIA DR. WITH GAMZEE.  
EB: wait, really? what happened to him?  
CG: IF THE REST OF YOU COULD SHUT UP FOR TWO FUCKING SECONDS I COULD FIGURE THAT OUT.  
EB: okay, well, good luck!  
AT: hEY, kARKAT,  
CG: WHAT DID I JUST SAY.  
AT: jUST,  
AT: cOULD i GO IN WITH YOU GUYS?  
AT: yOU KNOW, bEING ONE OF HIS CLOSEST FRIENDS AND ALL,  
CG: IF YOU COULD SPARE ME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TAKING CARE OF TWO WRIGGLERS INSTEAD OF ONE, THAT WOULD BE FUCKING GREAT.

Tavros bit his lip, took a deep breath and continued writing.

AT: i kNOW YOU’RE SO VERY VERY CAUGHT UP R1GHT NOW AND ALL, bUT 1 WOULD L1KE TO REM1ND YOU ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED LAST T1ME,  
AT: aND THE FACT THAT 1’M ALSO CERTA1N 1T WOULD TAKE MORE THAN ONE EX-MO1RA1L TO KEEP H1M CALM,  
AT: sO 1’M PROPOS1NG AN ADD1T1ONAL MEMBER, aND 1F YOU WOULD L1KE TO STOP 1GNOR1NG ME,  
AT: tHANK YOU, iN ADVANCE,  
EB: karkat?  
CG: WOW, WHAT A LOW BLOW, I’M FUCKING SWOONING IN MY SEAT.  
EB: :B  
CG: JUST GET OVER HERE.

With that, Tavros stood up, stuffing his phone in his pocket, and began towards the hospital. From the table Vriska was giggling -- with or without malicious intent, it was unsure as always -- while Nepeta smiled at him with encouragement, and reached down to begin typing in the chat at Karkat’s apparent loss.


End file.
